Re: Transplantation in the UK

Hi Helen....Thanks so much for posting this. This great post may open the door to some hot debates.

Here are my thoughts:

Presently, only a select few are eligible for this protocol.

As far as I know, the overall survival with transplantation is significantly higher than those with resection or chemotherapy treatment.

Additionally, those PSC patients in the very early stages of this disease have been given the best chance of survival.

"The Mayo Clinic protocol involves careful selection of patients with early stage CCA which is either unresectable or arising in the setting of underlying PSC. Vascular encasement of the hilar vessels is not a contraindication to transplantation. The upper limit of tumor size is 3 cm, and there must be no evidence of intra- or extrahepatic metastases. The protocol specifically excludes patients with intrahepatic CCA or gallbladder involvement."

These are my thoughts:

Procedure is costly as are the anti rejection drugs.

The US has a significant higher rate of donors than the U K.

Life donors increasingly step forward.

I agree in that

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Re: Transplantation in the UK

Good morning-Every time I read about transplant in a controversial sentence I get my blood boiling!! I am a cc survivor because of a transplant. What can I say it works. My tumor was inoperable and this was only hope. Barnes- Jewish just openned a new transplant center and was quoted in paper as needing one because it is one of the "few cholangiocarcinoma centers in the nation"!! We are getting press. Kinda of interesting about gall bladder comment because they took mine along with liver!! We must pursue aggresively transplantion!! Cathy

Re: Transplantation in the UK

Hi Helen,

Thank you for this, and I love your winter newsletter on your site as well!

Best wishes,

Gavin

Any advice or comments I give are based on personal experiences and knowledge and are my opinions only, they are not to be substituted for professional medical advice. Please seek professional advice from a qualified doctor or medical professional.

Re: Transplantation in the UK

Hi Helen,

Thanks for that. The website version of the newsletter is fine for me as I can read it there, but a printed copy woul be good for my mum as she has no internet access. I will email you my address. Thanks again for this.

Best wishes,

Gavin

Any advice or comments I give are based on personal experiences and knowledge and are my opinions only, they are not to be substituted for professional medical advice. Please seek professional advice from a qualified doctor or medical professional.

Re: Transplantation in the UK

Thank you Helen!

Gavin

Any advice or comments I give are based on personal experiences and knowledge and are my opinions only, they are not to be substituted for professional medical advice. Please seek professional advice from a qualified doctor or medical professional.

Re: Transplantation in the UK

I agree, Helen. Every patient touched by this disease should resources available. It is a rare cancer in comparison to other major cancers however, it still should receive the same recognition, as all others do. And, that is something all of us are working toward.Hugs to you,Marion

THIS INFORMATION IS NOT INTENDED NOR IMPLIED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF YOUR PHYSICIAN OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROVIDER

Re: Transplantation in the UK

Raye here.

I had the Mayo transplant protocol performed in Rochester MN and I'm almost 3 years out from the surgery and doing fine so far. If it was not for the live donor transplant graciously provided by my oldest daughter Jennifer I have my doubts I would be here today. It was very close for my survival up to surgery since I constantly battled malnutrition and jaundice 24/7, and there was practically 'nothing' left of any muscle mass on my body because of this.

The live donor transplant got me back on track within two weeks and I've been great ever since, even though the malnutrition effects impeded me for some time after the operation. But I'm here and I consider myself very fortunate.

The live donor transplant has been used for CC at the UBC hospital in Vancouver and recently a live donor was accomplished at McGill University Hospital in Montreal. These are a great leap from when I was diagnosed in my province of Ontario 4 years ago where I was denied the operation and a live donor. Only through our efforts here at home and through applications to our health system in Ontario did we get the opportunity and the funding to go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN.

The lack of donations for transplants is very low here in Canada and I don't know why with the advertising the government and hospitals provide.

Live donor permission may be the only way to go for any type of transplants in Canada when the governments and medical associations change their outlook on helping transplant patients.

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